Dirt discharging means for auger-drill rig



June 22, 1965 c. E. PEARSON 3,190,375

, DIRT DISCHARGING MEANS FOR AUGER-DRILL RIG Filed Sept. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATI'OE/VEY June 22, 1965 c. E. PEARSON 3,190,375

DIRT DISCHARGING MEANS FOR AUGER-DRILL RIG Filed Sept. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- IIIIIIIIITIIIIIII/l INVENTQR. CHAR .55 f. f/JFfJO/V 6 Jim A\YIIIIIII United States Patent 3,199,375 Dlit'i DEFEQHARGENG MEANS FGR AUGER-DKTLL REG Charles E. Pearson, El Monte, Calif., assignor of onethird to Lee li-i. Booker, South Gate, and one-third to Meivin W. Saivage, Downey, Calif.

Filed Sept. 39, 19-53, fier. No. 312,498

9 Qlaiins. (Q1. 175-88) This invention relates to a device for discharging the dirt brought to the surface by the drill of an auger-drill rig. Augendrills, after drilling into the ground, are brought to the surface with the helical blade thereof, carrying the 'dirt that has been drilled out of the hole. The drill is then spun at a high speed or otherwise so rotated as to cause the dirt carried thereby to be centrifugally dis- ,the hole being dug, either to a removal truck or to a storage pile, as conditions require.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily discon nected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description and which is based on the accompanying drawing. However, said drawing merely shows, and the following description merely describes, one embodimerit of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is partly broken rear end elevational view of a portable drill rig provided with dirt-discharging means according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of said discharging means.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken on the plane of line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a reduced-scale side view of a detail of the construction.

FIG. 1 shows a truck 5 provided with a drill derrick 6 which is fitted with an auger 7 for boring a hole 8 in the ground 9. The derrick is part of a rig that provides the necessary power for rotating the auger, and for raising and lowering the same to perform a boring operation. In the present case, the discharging means It is mounted concentrically with the auger so the latter may operate therethrough. The power for operating the means 10 may be provided in any suitable manner. A simple way of doing this is to provide the rig with a pump driven by the rig power means and which places fluid under hydraulic pressure, and to provide the means It) with a hydraulic operating motor 11 that receives such pressure fluid through a line 12.

The present dirt-discharging means 10 comprises, generally, a tubular core 15 disposed on the axis of the auger 7 and through which the auger is moved axially into and out of the hole 8, a dirt-receiving housing 16 around the core 15, coaxial therewith, and spaced therefrom to provide an annular space 17, a conical adaptor 18 removably mounted on the core 15 to direct dirt or soil dislodged $19,375 li atented June 22, 1965 from the auger into said space 17, a spin table 19 rotationally mounted on the core 15 and closing the bottom of the space 17, a plurality of vanes 20 carried by the table 19 and movable in the space 17 for moving dirt in the space toward discharge through a lateral chute 21, and drive means 22, which includes the motor 11, rotates the table 19 and the vanes 20 carried thereby. In this case, the discharge from chute 21 is received on a belt conveyor 23 to direct loading onto a truck or to storage.

The core 15 is shown as substantially larger in diameter than the auger 7, the same, as by a ring 25, being shown as mounted on a support 26 to have a fixed position. As seen in FIG. 1, the bottom of the core clears the ground above the hole 8 that is being bored.

The dirt-receiving housing 16 is shown as an annular, upwardly flared shell 27 that, in any suitable manner, is held fixedly and concentric with the core 15. FIGS. 1 and 2 show brackets 23 that connect the core and shell, both these members, therefore, being fixed.

The upper edge 29 of the shell 27 extends substantially above the top edge 3% of the core 15. The conical adapter 18 is removably mounted on said edge 30'and extends upwardly therefrom short of the shell edge 29. Said adapter has a conical wall 31 on a slope to shed soil or dirt falling thereupon, thus directing the same into the annular space 17. The opening 32 in the top end of the adapter 18 is of a size to clear the auger 7 which may move freely through said opening.

FIG. 4 shows a similar adapter 18a, this view indicating that, according to the diametral size of the auger, the wall 31, while having the same slope as before, may be extended to reduce the size of the opening 32 to suit a smaller auger. It will be clear that by proper choice of adapter 18, the same means 10 will function efficiently for augers of diiferent size providing the same are smaller than the core 15. I

The spin table 19 is shown as comprising a table top 33 that is supported on the fixed ring 25 with a thrust bearing 34 interposed to ease rotation of the table, and a collar 35 extending upwardly from said table top loosely around the core 15. The outer periphery of said table top approximately coincides with the lower periphery of the fixed shell 27. The lower edge 36 of the shell is preferably inbent over the outer edge of the table top.

The vanes 20 are preferably all alike and are aflixed to the collar 35 to extend toward and in wiping contact with the inner face of the shell 27. In this case, the vanes are shown at a trailing angle with respect to the direction of rotation of the table, as indicated by the arrow 37. The vane portions 38 are preferably metallic but may he leather or metal-backed leather, and the ends thereof may be provided with wear elements 39 that have wiping engagement with the shell 27 and may be replaced when worn.

As shown in FIG. 2, an opening 40 is formed in the shell 27, the same leading to the chute 21 that terminates above the conveyor 23, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

The drive means 22 (FIG. 3) comprises the hydraulic motor 11 carried by the ring 25, a sprocket wheel 41 driven by said motor, a ring sprocket 42 affixed to and on the under side of the spin table. 19, and a chain 43 trained around the sprockets. The speed of rotation of the spin table is preferred to be about r.p.m., although the same may vary, as desired.

In practice, the auger 7 bores into the ground 9 to form the hole 8, the helix of the auger thereby becoming loaded with the bored-out soil or dirt. The auger is then raised out of the hole until substantially all of the helix is exposed above the adapter top 32. The auger is then so moved as to dislodge the dirt thereon, the same falling on the wall 31 and then sliding therealong into the space 17. There, the vanes 20 move the dirt, the adjacent vanes forming pockets for the dirt during such movement. When a pocketful of dirt reaches the discharge-opening, the vanes that follow such ,dirt act to force'the samein a directionto discharge through'opem ing 40, into the chute 2,1 and, finally; onto the belt of conveyor 23. a 1

Since the auger supplies the present device with dirt only on an intermittent basis, the spin table and vanes, by being continually driven, have ample time to discharge the load of dirt deposited by the auger before the next load is deposited. Of course, if the auger is boring, in

' hard formations and takes a long time to load' up, the

motor 11 maybe stopped after a discharging operation and re-started when the operation is to be resumed;

While'the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to bethe best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to' modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may. fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:. 1. A drill rig comprising: 6

(a) a longitudinally movable auger for rotationally boring 'ahole. in the ground,

(b) a fixed housing concentric with the. auger and having a central openingin which the auger freely moves, said housing having a lateral discharge opening and receptive of soil dislodged from the auger when raised out of the hole, and

(c) rotational means movable in the housing to move the soiltherein to andthrough the discharge opening,

' said means comprising a rotational plateclosing the bottom of the housing, the plate being adapted toallow the augerto pass through it, and a multiplicity of upright vanes aflixed to the rotational plate, 2. A, drill rig comprising: a

boring a hole in the ground, (b) a hired housing concentric with the auger and having a central opening in which the auger freely moves, said housinghaving a lateral discharge open, ing and receptive of soil dislodged from the auger when raised out of the hole, 7 V (c) a conical adaptor tube fixedly carried by the housing and through which the auger operates, the tube receiving soil falling thereon from the auger and shedding the same into the housing and (d-)- rotational means movable in the housing to move the soil-therein toand through the discharge opening, said means comprising a rotational plate closing the bottom of the housing; the plate being adaptedjto allow the auger to pass through it, and a multiplicity of upright vanes atfixed to the'rotational plate. 7 3. The combination according to claim-2 in which the auger is interchangeable with augers of different sizes, the adapter tube being removably' carried by the housing and interchangeable with adapter tubes of according to the size of theiauger. M

4. ha drill rig having ahole-boring auger movable longitudinally into and out of a hole being bored and so movable as to dislodge soil therefromwhen raisedtout. of the hole, the improvement which comprises i. 7 i

(a) a fixed tubular core .through which the augr moves, f

different sizes .r v a0 (a); a'longitudinally movable auger for rotationally (b) a replaceable conical dapter carried by the upper end of the core forming a roof thereover and having a top opening closely clearing the auger,

(c) a fixed tubular housing spaced around the core and concentric therewith, said housing being receptive of soil dislodged from the'auger which, after falling upon the conical surface of the adapter, slides downinto the housing, said housing having a lateral discharge opening, and,

(d) a rotational plate closing the bottom of the housing, the plate being adapted to allow the auger to pass through it, and provided with upright means to rotationally, move the soil ,in the housing and direct the same to and through'the discharge opening in the housing. a

5. In a drill rig according to claim 4, the means to move the soil in the housing comprising a set of vanes that have their outer edges in wiping contact with the inner surfaces of the tubular housing. a

6. In a drill rig according to claim 4, the means to move the soilin the housingcomprising a set. of vanes that have their outer edges in wiping contact with the inner surface ofthe tubular housing, said vanes being disposed 'ata trailing, angle with respect to the direction of rotation. of the rotational plate.

7. In a portable drill rig, having a hole-boring auger movable longitudinally into and out of a hole being bored and so movable as to dislodge soil therefrom when raised out ofv the hole,

a (a) a fixed tubular core through which the auger moves, a L

(b), a replaceable conical adapter. carried by the core and having a top opening closely clearing the auger, I '(c) a fixed tubular housing spaced around the core and concentric therewith, said housing being receptive of 7 soil dislodged from the auger which, after falling upon the conical surface-of the adapter, slides down intothehousing, said housing having a lateral discharge opening, I

(d) a rotational plate closing the bottom of the housing and provided ,withupright vanes to rotationally move thesoil in the housing, the plate being adapted to allow the auger to pass through it, and direct the sameto and through the discharge opening in the housing, and a (e) a drive carried bythe housing andconnected to said plate to rotate the latter.

8. The drill rig, of claim 6 in which the outer edges of the vanes are provided with wear elements.

9. The drill rig of claim 2 in whichthe rotational means further includes thrust bearings upon which rests the rotational plate.

References Cited by the Examiner 761,722 11/56 Gr'eatBritain.

CHARLES E. OCVONNELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DRILL RIG COMPRISING: (A) A LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE AUGER FOR ROTATIONALLY BORING A HOLE IN THE GROUND, (B) A FIXED HOUSING CONCENTRIC WITHT THE AUGER AND HAVING A CENTRAL OPEING IN WHICH THE AUGER FREELY MOVES, SAID HOUSING HAVING A LATERAL DISCHARGE OPENING AND RECEPTIVE OF SOIL DISLODGED FROM THE AUGER WHEN RAISED OUT OF THE HOLE, AND (C) ROTATIONAL MEANS MOVABLE IN THE HOUSING TO MOVE THE SOIL THEREIN TO AND THROUGH THE DISCHARGE OPENING, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A ROTATIONAL PLATE CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSING, THE PLATE BEING ADAPTED TO ALLOW THE AUGER TO PASS THROUGH IT, AND A MULTIPLICITY OF UPRIGHT VANES AFFIXED TO THE ROTATIONAL PLATE. 